Tipping at Starbucks, etc

BankerCat12

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Sep 21, 2012
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Stopped by Starbucks this morning and got a coffee. $2.23. Gave the person (literally cant tell if guy/girl) $2.25. Asked if I wanted my .02 back. I said no and drove away. I wondered if it was going to be a dick move by asking for it back or telling them to keep it. I didnt want it but also didnt want to say keep the change since it was only .02.

With that being said, why do they believe they should be tipped? I normally get my morning coffee at McD's and that is the last thing they would expect there. Heine Bros is the worst. If you pay by cc, you have to sign their receipt and they have a spot for a tip. You poured my black coffee into a cup and gave it to me. You do not have to put anything into it but you want a tip through the drive-thru? Sorry bruh.
 

JDHoss

Well-known member
Jan 1, 2003
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Stopped by Starbucks this morning and got a coffee. $2.23. Gave the person (literally cant tell if guy/girl) $2.25. Asked if I wanted my .02 back. I said no and drove away. I wondered if it was going to be a dick move by asking for it back or telling them to keep it. I didnt want it but also didnt want to say keep the change since it was only .02.

With that being said, why do they believe they should be tipped? I normally get my morning coffee at McD's and that is the last thing they would expect there. Heine Bros is the worst. If you pay by cc, you have to sign their receipt and they have a spot for a tip. You poured my black coffee into a cup and gave it to me. You do not have to put anything into it but you want a tip through the drive-thru? Sorry bruh.

* Why did you feel the need to mention that you couldn't tell that the person at the Starbucks window was male or female? Did that have some sort of bearing on your decision to keep or refuse the two pennies? Sorry if I read too much into that, but I'm just curious.

* Do you really think they were asking you about the two pennies because they wanted them for a tip? Lots of places around here will ask the same thing because many people don't want pennies back at a drive-thru, and I'm one of those people. I have a "change box" in my console, and I don't want it cluttered up with a dollar's worth of pennies.

* Lots of small local businesses have those credit card slips that have a place for a tip. Doesn't mean they expect a tip though. Last week I had the blades sharpened, spark plug, oil and air filter changed on my mower by a local shop. I paid with my debit card, and it had a place for a tip. Pretty sure they weren't expecting a tip. No one is forcing you to add a tip to it.

* Same for tip jars. Every Thursday morning I stop at a local place and pick up a breakfast call in order for 8 people in our weekly planning meeting. They have a tip jar, and I always stick $5 in. Most people who have an individual order don't tip, but I do. I've been stopping there for several years every Thursday, and my order is always right, and they always put plenty of napkins, plasticware, and condiments in the bags. That's worth something to me, and I do it, but they don't "expect" it.
 
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KopiKat

New member
Nov 2, 2006
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Stopped by Starbucks this morning and got a coffee. $2.23. Gave the person (literally cant tell if guy/girl) $2.25. Asked if I wanted my .02 back. I said no and drove away. I wondered if it was going to be a dick move by asking for it back or telling them to keep it. I didnt want it but also didnt want to say keep the change since it was only .02.

With that being said, why do they believe they should be tipped? I normally get my morning coffee at McD's and that is the last thing they would expect there. Heine Bros is the worst. If you pay by cc, you have to sign their receipt and they have a spot for a tip. You poured my black coffee into a cup and gave it to me. You do not have to put anything into it but you want a tip through the drive-thru? Sorry bruh.

The ONLY reason those people have jobs is because the world is "blessed" with lazy people like you who are too stupid to realize how simple is it to complete very minor tasks on their own. So here's a tip, stop being such a lazy *** and make your own coffee. Honestly, what sort of person is so lazy they need somebody else to make their coffee, and then so indignant when their laziness isn't accommodated perfectly they need to ***** about it on the internet?
 

Wall2Boogie

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Jan 28, 2010
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Ill throw in my 2cents. If we all do the same we can help wildcatsboston84 get that iPad he's wanting since his dad must of fallen behind on his monthly Netflix bill. Or you could pay it forward and tell them to take 2 cents off the guy behind yous bill.
 

RUPPsRevenge1

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Mar 17, 2008
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I stopped tipping back when the recession hit. It was the best move I ever made. Immediately I'm getting a 15% discount on all food orders. The additional funds I have been saving to use towards vacation.

At the end of the day you get the same service, tip or not, as the people don't know that you are not going to tip until the service is over. Additionally, I've started frequenting different venues because of my choice. I'd recommend it to everyone.
 

-LEK-

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I stopped tipping back when the recession hit. It was the best move I ever made. Immediately I'm getting a 15% discount on all food orders. The additional funds I have been saving to use towards vacation.

At the end of the day you get the same service, tip or not, as the people don't know that you are not going to tip until the service is over. Additionally, I've started frequenting different venues because of my choice. I'd recommend it to everyone.
We all know people with tramp stamps are peices of garbage. Not tipping is just another byproduct of being a garbage person.
 
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LadyCat92

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I doubt the person was asking for a tip. More likely they were asking if you wanted to be annoyed with the extra 2 pennies and dealing with them. A lot of people don't want the pennies back. The cashiers in turn generally use them for when someone ends up with an odd total like $2.26. It's quicker to give you back 75 cents and pull a penny from the spare penny till than it is to count out the 74 cents.
 

LineSkiCat14

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2015
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Bars/restaurants/local stores: Always tip
Fast-food chains: Almost never.

So Starbucks/DD is always the dilemma for me. On one hand, it is a chain, and an overpriced coffee, but at the same time, I'm almost always doing drive-through. and I think the person taking my order is also making the coffee.
 

KopiKat

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Nov 2, 2006
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I love this place.

He/she threw it in the tip jar.

Kopicat...we should meet soon.

sure, I can teach you how it works. Keep a few cups piping hot for the first few hours of your morning. Then you won't be tormented by how an example from the gender tormented wasn't socially perfect with your 2 cents. And who puts a cup of coffee on a credit card and complains about what the seller did wrong? good grief
 
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LineSkiCat14

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I often remind myself just how fortunate I am to have great coffee options at my work, all for free. That'd be almost $100/month otherwise. Crazy how much a coffee habit costs.. It's even become it's own economics model and theory. The $5-a-day coffee mentality.
 
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roguemocha

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Throw them a buck or two. Is that really going to kill you financially in the long run? Plus, I'm sure they appreciate it as it brightens their day and it should yours as well by throwing someone a little extra cash. If you don't want to do that, no problem, just go on about your day.
 
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d2atTech

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I worked as a waiter the first year of college (20hrs a week). good tips meant I took home 150bucks that week, bad tips meant around 60bucks. Waiting staff are underpaid because they are "expected" to make it up in tips. Baristas are not.

With that said, if she's cute. Tip her.
 
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Throw them a buck or two. Is that really going to kill you financially in the long run? Plus, I'm sure they appreciate it as it brightens their day and it should yours as well by throwing someone a little extra cash. If you don't want to do that, no problem, just go on about your day.
Just think if everyone that came through starbucks gave a $1-$2 tip... Then they could stop bitching about the minimum wage.
 

Chuckinden

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Tipping is a scam, perpetuated by restaurant owners. Lots of countries in Europe don't expect a tip.
 

-LEK-

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Tipping is a scam, perpetuated by restaurant owners. Lots of countries in Europe don't expect a tip.
Except that it isn't a scam, we don't live in Europe,and its part of our culture.

By law servers make $2.13. Love how restaurant owners perpetuate the myth...

Great arguments.

Some of you are just cheap and disgusting. If you can't afford to tip at a place it's required, don't go.

Also, if it bothers you that much, pay with a card. Last, OP, the barista was calling you a cheap *** with the 2 cents. It just went over your head.
 
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-LEK-

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Starbucks servers don't make 2 bucks an hour. They are paid a wage. So why the tip jar?
Different argument tramp stamp. The $2 is a response to a restaurant argument.

That being said, we have certain social norms in our society. One is men don't get tramp stamps. Second, you tip various service industry workers. These both seem beyond your grasp of understanding though.
 
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tammefan

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I tip good at all my local restaurants. I always get excellent service. Jesus starts pouring my beer as soon as I walk in. I always tip my barber good also. Giving the girl at the local coffee shop a $5 tip on a cup a coffee seems to make her day.
 

funKYcat75

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I tip good at all my local restaurants. I always get excellent service. Jesus starts pouring my beer as soon as I walk in. I always tip my barber good also. Giving the girl at the local coffee shop a $5 tip on a cup a coffee seems to make her day.
You don't tip $5 for a cup of coffee. Stop trying so hard.
 

Ron Mehico

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I tip at a sit-down restaurant, I also tip when I get carry-out or a to-go order from a sit-down restaurant, though not as much. I also tip bartenders. Other than that - no tip for you.
 

funKYcat75

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I also tip when I get carry-out or a to-go order from a sit-down restaurant, though not as much.
This is the tricky one for me. I'm pretty sure the little hostess didn't do crap except carry a bag from the kitchen to the bar/counter. But then, they usually go through the spiel, "I've double checked your order. Do you need any napkins? Salt and pepper? Anything else I can do for you?" If you just hand me the bags, I'll probably leave a tip. Start fishing for tips, you get none. (only on carry out stuff)
 

Ron Mehico

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Its a tricky one for me too actually, and I'm not sure what the proper protocol is. I'm assuming the cashier had to go put everything together and make the to-go plates and all that, but I'm not positive. Also have no clue if I'm expected to tip. Also if its a place I order from regularly I'll tip just to be on their good side. But its usually a 5 dollar tip, no matter the amount, so its a small one, which hopefully is okay.
 

UKserialkiller

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Its a tricky one for me too actually, and I'm not sure what the proper protocol is. I'm assuming the cashier had to go put everything together and make the to-go plates and all that, but I'm not positive. Also have no clue if I'm expected to tip. Also if its a place I order from regularly I'll tip just to be on their good side. But its usually a 5 dollar tip, no matter the amount, so its a small one, which hopefully is okay.


If I order carry out about $25 and under I usually do $2 bucks.

If it's $30 or higher I will give $3.

So I do about 10% on carry out.
 
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